


Pulling at Heartstrings

by megastarstrike



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Crush at First Sight, Fluff, M/M, kokichi and kaede are siblings, shuuichi is bad at feelings, violinist!ouma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-19 21:39:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15519150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megastarstrike/pseuds/megastarstrike
Summary: It was one thing to admire a musician's talent and ability. It was quite another to fall for his best friend's brother, who just so happened to be one of the best violinists Shuuichi had ever heard.





	Pulling at Heartstrings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheEagleFox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEagleFox/gifts).



> bc i cant stop making everyone siblings with ouma
> 
> heres the sprite edit that inspired this entire thing: http://mercuryparade.tumblr.com/post/173368442024/first-shot-at-sprite-editing-pianistouma-very
> 
> if you feel like having some extra fun, lets play a game of Spot! That! Trumpet Joke!

If Shuuichi was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t have a lot to complain about. He lived in a dorm with a relatively quiet roommate, he was majoring in his favorite subject, and he had made many more friends in college than he had in his past twenty years of life. Sure, there was that whole broke college student stereotype and the sheer amount of work weighing on his shoulders, but for the most part, life was good.

“Hey, Shuuichi, you ready for my recital?”

Shuuichi smiled and set his fork down. “I should be asking you that, Kaede. You’re the one going on the stage.”

“Oh, shush, you.”

Kaede Akamatsu was one of his many friends who shared the same mentality as him. The two had met when Shuuichi had wandered into the wrong building during his first year (Somebody somehow thought putting the criminology building next to the music building would be a great idea. It wasn’t). Despite already being busy practicing, Kaede was the one who had to direct his directionally-challenged self back. Shuuichi had offered to pay her back in coffee, and their friendship was still going strong.

Right now, the two were seated across from each other at a restaurant near the recital hall. The recital itself was two hours away, and Kaede was expected to rehearsal in one hour.

“What piece are you playing?” Shuuichi asked.

Kaede laughed and winked. “It’s a surprise. It’s not even my recital, I’m just accompanying someone.”

“Who is it?”

“It’s a surprise! I’ll tell you later.”

The wink that followed her words drew a chuckle out of Shuuichi, but he couldn’t help but worry. Last time she accompanied someone, she had convinced both of them to hang out afterwards at the same restaurant they were in. That person ended up punching him by the end of the night (though he also became one of his closest friends, which was a strange turn of events Shuuichi never would’ve expected, but he supposed he couldn’t complain).

“Well,” Shuuichi said, pushing his doubts away, “I look forward to it.”

And Kaede smiled.

 

* * *

 

In their years of friendship, Shuuichi had memorized the layout of the recital hall and even had a preferred spot. He recognized a few people on the program a student had handed him when he walked in (most notably Kaito Momota, the trombonist who thought punching people was a great way to make friends, and Maki Harukawa, the bassoonist that had threatened him with her reed-making knife multiple times… There was a pattern here Shuuichi didn’t quite like).

Shuuichi jumped ahead to Kaede’s section, where she was indeed listed as an accompanist. The main player was a violinist named Kokichi Ouma, and the two were performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G Minor.

_ That’s weird, _ Shuuichi thought, frowning.  _ I could’ve sworn I’ve heard Kokichi’s name around before. _

But before he had too much time to think about it, the lights dimmed in the audience, and the recital began.

After a round of people with different instruments and different pieces (and different outfits? No one had told him it would be an informal recital) performed, a familiar blonde woman finally stepped onstage with an unfamiliar man with purple hair. The man held a light-colored violin in one hand and a tightened bow in the other. He wore a dark purple scarf with a music staff printed across it as well as a light purple jacket with a treble clef on the right cuff and a bass clef on the other cuff. 

Shuuichi squinted. His and Kaede’s fashion choices during this recital were similar, but his vision was limited from the back. Maybe this was something they agreed on beforehand?

“Violin Concerto in G Minor by Bruch,” the man announced to the audience before ripping his scarf away from his neck with a dramatic flair and setting it onto his chinrest.

Kaede bit her lip, holding her laughter back, before playing the first few notes of the piece.

Shuuichi was no stranger to music. He had heard many,  _ many _ violinists during his time hanging around the music building. He was as familiar with its tamber and sound as he was with a case’s details and victims. There was no way he could narrow down who was the best violinist in the practice building, much less the best violinist on campus.

But the winner of today had to be the man on the stage right now, playing as if he had nothing to lose. Seeing a cute, short man playing the darker first movement didn’t quite match Shuuichi’s expectations for being the best interpretation he had heard, but he’d be damned if he let that affect his judgement. A smile remained on the man’s face for the rest of the two movements, no matter how inappropriate it may have been for some of the more melancholy sections. It brightened when he nailed a high note or reached a particularly loud section, shining like a star. His passion was evident in both the way he played and the expressions he made.

Shuuichi found himself wishing the piece would play forever, but all good things must come to an end.

The man finished his last note with a dramatic flair, throwing his bow arm back. He smiled at the thunderous round of applause and stepped aside. He watched Kaede stand and bow before bowing himself and walking offstage with her.

Shuuichi held a hand to his heart and took the breath he had been forgetting to take since the man started playing.

And the recital continued, with or without him.

 

* * *

 

**Kaede:** you know that cafe next to the recital hall? Meet me there ;)

That winky face was never a good sign, but there was no indication of why he shouldn’t go. So Shuuichi waited until everyone had flooded out of the recital hall to walk out.

The cafe’s plush seats were already full of musicians resting after the recital. The all too familiar smell of brewing coffee and soft chatter brought a smile to his face. The lighting, while a bit dim, was enough for Shuuichi to spot a familiar blonde head in a booth.

Shuuichi slid into the seat across from Kaede. “Hey, great recital.”

Kaede greeted him with a bright smile. “Oh, thank you! I couldn’t have done it without my brother though.”

“Uh…”

“Oh, right. I wanted to introduce you to—”

“Kae-chan!” A purple blob zoomed to Kaede’s side, knocking both of them to the half wall blocking them from the next table over. Laughter bubbled out of their throats before they settled into their seats, and the blob finally came into focus.

“Kokichi,” Kaede called, “This is my friend, Shuuichi. Shuuichi, this is my little brother, Kokichi. He played with me today at the recital.”

The man in front of him gave him a bright grin that could rival the sun and held his hand out. “Nice to meet you, Shuuichi!”

Before Shuuichi could shake the hand, Kaede slammed it down with a frown.

“Come on, Kokichi, be serious. Give me the buzzer.”

Kokichi pouted but unwrapped the buzzer from his hand and dropped it in Kaede’s hand. “You’re no fun.”

Shuuichi’s eyes wandered while Kaede scolded him. Now that he had a closer look, he could see the white music note hairpins clipped in his hair, though it did little to keep his hair back. The edges of the purple jacket were colored like piano keys. But most notable of all were the deep purple eyes that sparkled like gems under the lights.

Then he turned and smiled at him, and Shuuichi’s heart stopped.

_ Oh. Oh no. This isn’t good. _

“Ah, um, I-I have to go,” Shuuichi stuttered, fighting to keep his eyes off the man in front of him. “I-I just remembered I had a project due—”

Kokichi pouted and reached over the table, cupping his hand over Shuuichi’s. “Stay.”

The world stopped.

Then Shuuichi cleared his throat and slid back into his seat, fighting to keep his blush down.

“That’s better,” Kokichi said, taking a sip Kaede’s coffee and giggling at her frown. “Did you hear that trumpet though? God, she was horrible.”

Kaede raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t Miu your best friend?”

“Eh.”

“E-Everyone did a good job on their recital,” Shuuichi said, “Especially you two. How long have you been playing, Kokichi?”

“Since I came out of the womb,” Kokichi answered, his arms folded behind his head.

Kaede rolled her eyes and elbowed him. “Since he was ten. He started pretty late.”

“Lying isn’t fun with you around.”

“It shouldn’t be fun at all!”

As the two squabbled and the conversation continued, it became clearer and clearer that Shuuichi was not going to climb out of the pit that was his feelings easily. There was something captivating, even alluring about the violinist that was calling to be solved.

But all good things come to an end. A few hours after their discussion started, Kokichi hopped out of his seat, stretching his limbs and yawning.

“I’ve gotta go. Rantarou wants help opening a pickle jar.”

Kaede rolled her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day but smiled. “Oh, get out of here with your lies. See you tomorrow, Kokichi.”

Kokichi stuck his tongue out but brought her into a hug and pecked her forehead. “Love you, Big Sis!” He took a few steps towards the exit before whipping around to Shuuichi and planting a soft kiss on the back of his hand. “It was nice to meet you, Shumai. I’ll see you again!” And with that, he skipped out of the cafe and into the night.

Shuuichi’s brain short-circuited. His body rejected all commands to move. The blush on his cheeks grew redder and redder as his fingers traced where Kokichi had kissed him just a few seconds prior.

Kaede sighed, shaking her head with a fond smile. “I’ll never understand what goes through his head. You okay, Shuuichi?”

Silence.

“Shuuichi?”

He snapped out of his trance when Kaede clapped her hands in his face. “Wh-What? Sorry, I zoned out.”

“Yeah, I could tell.” She frowned. “Did Kokichi make you uncomfortable or anything? I can always tell him to knock it off if you wa—”

“No! It’s—It’s fine.”

“Then… why’s your face so red?” Kaede paused in thought for a long, painful moment before her eyes shot wide open. “No way. Did you get a crush on my brother?”

Caught red-handed. Shuuichi couldn’t believe he had been figured out so easily, but he supposed he hadn’t exactly tried to hide it during their conversation.

And so Shuuichi offered her a weak grimace and said, “... Maybe?”

**Author's Note:**

> Bruch Violin Concerto: actually the concerto im working on! except the third movement is hell. but heres a recording of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDJ6Wbzgy3E
> 
> Scarf: some people play violin by putting a cloth on the part where youre supposed to put your chin. i personally dont (although its much more comfortable...)
> 
> Informal recital: im almost 100% sure this isnt how its supposed to be used, but i use it in this to mean "recital where you dont have to wear black"
> 
> thanks for reading! :)


End file.
